“Women need to be empowered in every respect and especially against traditional, harmful practices, so that they gain more self-confidence and can decide independently. This is the only way we can defeat the female genital mutilation one day. That is what we stand up for” Rakieta Poyga

Project area: three provinces in the Mossi kingdom: Kadiogo, Sanmetenga, and Nahouri, as well as districts of the capital Ouagadougou and surrounding villages, Burkina Faso

According to UNICEF, in Burkina Faso in 2013, more than 76% of girls and women were affected by FGM.

Many of them suffer lifelong pain due to the formation of fistulas, adhesions or infections. During pregnancy, this can lead to life-threatening complications. Often girls bleed to death during the procedure.

In Burkina Faso, FGM is forbidden by law since 1996 but is still practiced, increasingly on very young girls. FGM is often seen as a prerequisite for marriage.

Village and religious leaders as well as the circumcisers promoting the practice have a high standing in society.

Project activities:

Awareness campaigns:

For 15 years, Association Bangr Nooma (meaning “There is nothing better than knowledge”) has been working to end FGM. 300 members and staff members conduct broad sensitization and information campaigns over a period of several years, in order to reach out to a whole district or village.

Some approaches and campaign activities:

Training of staff members for the campaign work (Animateur/Animatrice), who speak about the tabooed issue of FGM and inform about the fatal consequences.

Training of multiplicators (former circumcisers, religious leaders, the police, traditional midwifes, …) for the follow-up process of the campaigns.

Installation of follow-up committees of villagers to further promote the rejection of FGM.

Monitoring visits after the campaign to assure its sustainability.

Medical emergency interventions:

Furthermore, the Association Bangr Nooma medically supports girls and women that suffer from the painful consequences of FGM. The association is connected to Prof. Dr. Akotionga, who offers emergency operations to those experiencing pain after being mutilated. ABN serves as a point of contact between the doctor and the women and also accompanies them to the medical interventions.

Centre for protection against violence (CAECF):

The centre for protection against violence offers support, as well as psychological and legal assistance to girls and women that are affected by any kind of violence. Discussion groups, as well as house visits give the women the opportunity to exchange their personal experiences regarding FGM, but also talk about problems and concerns in their daily lifes.

Impact:

Until now, the organisation has reached more than 800.000 people in Burkina Faso. Since the founding of Association Bangr Nooma (ABN), more than 33.000 girls have verifiably been saved from FGM.

FGM is no longer a taboo topic, the society is more aware of the consequences.

Committees of villagers against FGM exist in over 820 villages.

About 300 circumcisers obtained micro loans with which most of them were able to build up a new subsistence.

From January until March 2018 the centre for protection against violence has been able to accommodate 38 women in need. In 2017 they reached 3.000 people with their activities and in the first quarter of 2018 they already accounted for 1.439 persons.

Thanks to ABN’s efforts, 15-20 FGM affected girls and women are able to undergo surgery every year.